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Members

We use powerful gene perturbation tools — such as CRISPR, RNAi and small molecule screening — to investigate how genes function, contribute to disease and can be targeted to develop better treatments.

Chih-Chien (Ken) Cheng, Ph.D.

Director, Functional Genomics Laboratory
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
chih-chien.cheng@nih.gov
Functional genomics; chemical biology; target discovery & validation; High-throughput screening; assay technology development

Staff

Lara El Touny, Ph.D. 
Staff Scientist
Georgetown University
lara.eltouny@nih.gov
Functional genomics; complex models (iPSC-derived models and 3D spheroids, organoids); tumor biology and metastasis

Chih-Yuan (Edward) Chiang, Ph.D. 
Staff Scientist
University of California San Diego
edward.chiang@nih.gov
Host-pathogen & microbial interactions; Innate immunology & autoimmunity; AAV gene therapy; Functional genomic screening

Shinjen (Sean) Lin, Ph.D. 
Scientist
University of Rochester
sean.lin@nih.gov
Cancer biology; high-content imaging; arrayed & pooled RNAi/CRISPR screening; small molecule screening

Barbara A. Force
Biologist/Lab Manager
Cornell University
barbara.force@nih.gov
Project management, mammalian cell culture, murine models

Ryan L. Macarthur, Ph.D. 
Bioinformatician
Yale University
ryan.macarthur@nih.gov
HTS QC metric & artifact characterization; high-throughput screening data visualization; screening library integrity; bioinorganic chemistry; peripheral neurodegenerative diseases

Trainees

Pat (Logan) M. Miessner 
Intramural Research Training Award Postbaccalaureate Fellow
University of Washington
pat.miessner@nih.gov

Madeleine E. Harris 
Intramural Research Training Award Postbaccalaureate Fellow
College of William & Mary
madeleine.harris@nih.gov

Past Trainees and Their Next Steps

Sinead Claffey
Postbaccalaureate Fellow 2023–2025
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Ph.D. program

Pedro Massa
Postbaccalaureate Fellow 2022–2024
University of Virginia School of Medicine
M.D./Ph.D. program

Kimia Shamsian
Postbaccalaureate Fellow 2022–2024
Washington University in St. Louis
Ph.D. program 

Hanna Greffie
Postbaccalaureate Fellow 2020–2022
University of Toledo
M.D. program

Cole A. Tindall
Postbaccalaureate Fellow 2020–2022
Bioinformatics Consultant
Deloitte

 

Last updated on January 29, 2026